In general, when an application server or other network entity transmits a message to a client device, logic at the client device must process the message and forward the message to appropriate client application for handling. To facilitate routing the message within the client device to the appropriate application, the client device may have data that correlates port numbers with particular applications, and the incoming message may carry a target port number. Upon receipt of the message, the client device may thus read the target port number specified by the message and may refer to the data to determine which application corresponds with that port number. The client device may then pass the message to that application.
As a client device gets loaded with applications, it is theoretically possible that the client device may run out of port numbers to be correlated with the applications. When that happens, at issue may then be how to facilitate routing of incoming messages to appropriate applications on the device.